Pickup truck driving wheel traction enhancer

ABSTRACT

Vehicle driving traction is substantially increased by applying a selected quantity of granular material to the roadway surface forwardly of driving wheels by a remotely controlled apparatus which includes a quantity of granular material operatively connected with a tube terminating adjacent the surface of the earth forwardly of driving wheels.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention relates to pickup trucks and more particularly to apparatus for increasing driving wheel traction.

[0004] 1. Field of the Invention

[0005] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0006] I am not aware of any patent or publication which discloses the feature of increasing rear wheel traction of pickup trucks as disclosed by my invention. Pickup trucks when not hauling cargo of some mass results in a low coefficient of friction between the rearward driving wheels and the surface of the earth, particularly when the roadway is wet or icy.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] A rectangular in top view container having one end portion recessed angularly upward and overlying a rear wheel well at respective sides of a pickup bed contains a quantity of granular material, such as sand, which is selectively released to the roadway surface forwardly of the respective rear wheel tire, not shown.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008]FIG. 1 is a top view of the device;

[0009]FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of FIG. 1;

[0010]FIG. 3 is a end elevational view of FIG. 2;

[0011]FIG. 4 is a vertical cross section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1; and,

[0012]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a control handle support.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The reference numeral 10 indicates a container as a whole, which is rectangular in top view having a lid 12 opening and closing an upwardly open hollow body 14. A angular rearwardly facing bottom wall 18 of one end portion of the container 10 loosely overlies a wheel well position at respective sides of a pickup truck. The rearward end portion of the container is supported by a leg 20, opposite the truck bed side wall, resting on the truck bed bottom 16. Alternatively that side of the container may form a support by being coextensive with the lid 12 and extend to the bottom wall 16.

[0014] A depending wall 20 of the container is apertured and provided with a dispensing tube 22 extending through the pickup bed bottom wall 16. The tube being opened and closed by a metallic conoidal member 24 axially inline with the tube 22 and operator controlled via a Bowden cable 26 for lifting and positioning the member 24 at selected elevations for releasing granular material, such as sand 34, to fall by gravity from the interior of the container 10 through the tube 22 to the road surface forwardly of the respective driving wheel. A bracket 35 on an inner wall of the container permits selective adjustment of the cable 26 position for optimum ease of operation. A handle 36, (FIG. 5) secured to the wire 27 of the Bowden cable is selectively positioned on a rack 38, in a vehicle operator compartment, accordance with the desired open or closed position of the valve 24.

[0015] Obviously the invention is susceptible to changes or alterations without defeating its practicability. Therefore, I do not wish to be confined to the preferred embodiment(s) shown in the drawing(s) and described herein. 

I claim:
 1. Apparatus for increasing pickup driving wheel traction having wheel wells at opposite sides of the pickup bed, comprising: a container of pourable granular material disposed adjacent the respective wheel well; tubing means for dispensing the granular material on the roadway forwardly of the driving wheels; and, valve means for opening and closing the tubing.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 in which the tubing means comprises: a tube having one open end portion in communication with the interior of said container and an opposite end portion disposed adjacent the surface of the earth.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 2 in which the valve means comprises: a conoidal valve, axially aligned with and normally closing the inward end of said tube; and, remote control means connected with the valve for opening and closing said tube.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 3 in which the means comprises: a Bowden cable axially connected with the valve. 